Marko Arnautovic scored the only goal in Inter Milan’s hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, giving the club a one-goal advantage in their Champions League last-16 clash.
Austrian striker Arnautovic scored Inter’s winner with 11 minutes remaining at the San Siro after Jan Oblak failed to save Lautaro Martinez’s attempt.
The 34-year-old turned jeers into loud shouts with his goal, which came after a string of squandered opportunities had home fans wondering if Inter would earn the result their performance deserved.
His biggest miss came just after the hour mark, when he blew over a sitter, a terrible finish that came after several failed attempts to latch on to good deliveries.
Arnautovic has struggled since returning to Inter on loan from Bologna last summer, and his missed opportunities have irritated fans even more.
However, thanks to him, Simone Inzaghi’s side now has a slim lead heading to Madrid, where they will meet Atletico in the decisive second leg on March 13.
This season, Atletico has been a more aggressive proposition, but they have reverted to the stubborn defensive style that typifies Diego Simeone’s long reign in Spain.
However, they were unable to keep Inter out, and now must overturn Tuesday’s outcome in order to advance to the quarterfinals.